EM Glamdring conducted an event on Lake Superior on August 30th, here, we tell the tale of Chaos is Malas.

The sleeping town crier yelped in surprise as the runner woke him from a deep sleep – it has been quite a while since there was last any real news for him to spread among the townsfolk. The runner quickly whispered something in the crier’s ear, and then sprinted towards the West about as fast as he could run. The town crier leapt to his feet, and began to bellow the news at the top of his lungs for all to hear, “All able-bodied citizens of Britain are to immediately gather at Castle British! Thomas Winters, Commander of the Royal Guard, will be there shortly with more information!”As the crowd grew in the throne room of Castle British, Thomas Winters appeared upon the dais and began to address the gathered citizens. “Listen well, brave citizens of Britannia! We live in a world balanced finely between Order and Chaos. During the past few weeks, that balance has begun to tilt in favor of Chaos, and it is our duty to restore things to their natural state! Having heard rumors of a chaotic force growing deep in the heart of the Malas desert, I sent a pair of my most skilled Guard members to scout the area. Less than an hour ago, only one of them returned… barely.”With a most grave look in his eyes, Thomas continued, “It is up to you, the bravest and most loyal servants of all, to confront the forces of Chaos and send them back from whence they came!” Creating a moongate to the Malas desert, Thomas proclaimed, “Arm yourselves well, and step through this gate to confront the enemy!”When the Royal Guard arrived at the pyramid, the true nature of the chaotic unbalance was revealed… the area around the Forgotten Pyramid was infested with undead of every type, and the walls of the Pyramid itself were solidly teeming with rotting flesh. Thomas and several others went to look for the secret door that was rumored to lead into the lower level of the pyramid, while the rest of the Royal Guard spread out and engaged the throngs of undead on the outside. Cutting a path through the mass of undead, Thomas entered the pyramid, and inside found the lower level reeking of rotted flesh so badly that the battle was nearly lost at that very moment, but the men were able to continue by covering their faces with scraps of cloth torn from their clothing. Inside, scores of mummies and undead moved over the floor like scarabs, seeking to kill the living, much like moths seek the flame.

Battling their way forward, taking heavy losses along the way, the Royal Guard forced their way up to the topmost level of the pyramid. Bursting into the room, covered in blood and bits of rotting flesh, the Guard found that the mummy of the ancient Pharaoh, Pyrres, had risen from its long slumber. Even though the undead were being slaughtered as quickly as they could be summoned by Pyrres, many valiant members of the Guard fell to their knees in defeat, as fighting against the overwhelming mass of rotting flesh took every last sliver of bravery and skill that the Guard possessed. Finally, after withstanding many blows that would have instantly killed a living person, the mummy suddenly seized up with a great howl, and toppled forward onto the blood-soaked stones with a massive crash.The Guard gathered their breath, and looked around wearily; they realized that the battle was not yet won, as the darkness at the source of this Chaotic scene had yet to be defeated. After falling to the stones, the mummy of Pyrres began to wiggle and squirm, and suddenly its bandages burst into shreds, and a most hideous creature, composed of torn skin, exposed muscle and shattered bone, rose with one of the most spine tingling sounds ever heard by a living thing.Pyrres had grown in strength, and the denizens of the Forgotten Pyramid were once again driven into a killing frenzy, redoubling their efforts to slaughter every member of the Royal Guard left standing in the Pyramid. The battle ensued; many more members of the Royal Guard fell before the hideous creature and its minions. Timing it perfectly - at that crucial point in every close battle where having a great leader in command can make the difference between victory and defeat - Thomas Winters rallied his troops with a brilliant display of swordsmanship. Slowly, but surely, the Guard pushed the legions of undead back, cutting them down with a ferocity fueled by the magnificent display of bravery and leadership shown by their Commander.Surrounding Pyrres, the Royal Guard landed blow upon blow on the ancient Pharaoh’s desecrated body, until finally a sword found its mark, and the ancient spirit was finally sent on its way to the afterlife. The spoils of the battle were collected including a dozen fascinating scepters that made an eerily strange sound when used.

As the battered but victorious Royal Guard gathered at the entrance to the Forgotten Pyramid, Thomas climbed on the steps and spoke to them, “Because of your sacrifice in this place of evil, the balance between Order and Chaos has been restored here. While this battle is won, I fear that it is only but the beginning of a larger fight against the growing forces of Chaos.”After making sure that the Guard was safely on its way back home, Thomas left the Forgotten Pyramid to meet with the Ruling Council to inform them of the temporary victory against the forces of Chaos, and warn them of the growing threat that lies ahead.